way too many mistakes to mention over the years working on old cars-try to remember so as not to repeat the same ones twice. Some have resulted in blood loss,etc and a few trips to the ER-one trip to put some fingers back together-that wasn't fun but they still work thankfully.
I look at the blood loss as good luck as long as it's not too severe. For every task that is undertaken my projects like to have a blood sacrifice from me in order to ensure success. I tried goats but they don't work as well.
This thread reminded me of an old quote about experience. I couldn't remember all of it, so I went to Google. I didn't find just the one I was looking for but I think this one is better. "Experience is a cruel teacher, it gives you a test before presenting the lesson"
I watched my Dad do the exact same thing in the mid-70's on a 67 Chev C-10 starter. The wedding band shorted between the positive lead and ground and turned white hot. He had the full circumference blister, and a blistered thumb and index finger pulling it off. He put the band on chain around his neck after that. That lesson always stuck with me. I just pulled my ring yesterday tightening a bolt near my batttery.
I once had the hood off my 57 Ford. I wanted to tie down the hood hinges and decided to tie them down with wire. When the wire touches the voltage regulator it get hot real quick in your hand . At least it was 50 years ago when I was 16. Older and a little smarter now.
I get out from under the car go to the workbench/toolbox/ hardware cabinet and try to remember what the f#$@^ am I doing there! Getting old is one thing but I have done this more than once over the years.
Years ago I was under and wrapped around a roll cage trying to tig. I wasn't sure I had turned the gas on so I held the torch up to my ear and hit the pedal.Yep ,human flesh is electric conductive, real bad hearing loss in that ear still today.My wife was like what was you thinking?
[QUOTE="1great40, post: 11010634, member: 45917" I really hope no one else is afflicted with the same level of brilliance that I have [/QUOTE] This affliction spans the whole planet, you have no escape from it.
[QUOTE="Fabber McGee, This thread reminded me of an old quote about experience. I couldn't remember all of it, so I went to Google. I didn't find just the one I was looking for but I think this one is better. "Experience is a cruel teacher, it gives you a test before presenting the lesson"[/QUOTE] Often heard; "Age and experience, will overcome youth and ambition!"
Damn, Joecool, that made my ear hurt just reading about it. A few years back I put a freshly charged lawn mower battery in my rider. I hit the key and the Bendix wouldn't engage. Looked like it was spinning backwards. (Voice in head says impossible.) I just want to mow grass. Push Bendix up in the flywheel with thumb and hit key, it will start. Voice in head says, (If its turning backwards you'll smash your thumb.) Thought to self impossible... Hit the damn key, Bendix slams back the opposite direction, smashing my thumb. As I sit on the picnic table bleeding thinking wtf, I remember working on my battery charger a couple weeks back. Popped the back off the charger and sure as shit had put the cables on the wrong lugs reversing the polarity. Sometimes a guy should listen to the voices.
If I was to lay down on a head doctors couch and tell of all the mistakes, and bone head moves I have done , I would drive him to INSANITY!!!!!
as they say you learn best from making mistakes , was the creed of our parents of yesteryear , not like today and blame everyone else for the screwups .. done my share . and it learned to check to see if there are no extra parts other than the ones replaced , I once sent a semi out without one of the engine mount bolts , it came back the next day and I then had to learn how to extract a sheared off bolt .. plus I lost my commision on the repair job . made sure that never happened again .
When I decided to build a small wood shop in the back yard I priced all the supplies at $500. I just happened the price the same size shop from a builder for $700. I told my wife I was afraid I would screw up $200 worth of materials and the builder would complete the shop in 2 days. She said to hell with that, hire the builder
The Jalopy Journal
